table saw advice sought

[creekster]

If you were thinking about buying a table saw, which of the following three would you choose (and assume these are the three you have narrowed it down to) and why?
http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...ng-Knife/G0691

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...e-Saw/G1023RLX

http://www.lagunatools.com/tablesaws...-tablesaw-220v

TIA for any input. Also, if you have a suggestion for something in this price range, let me know.

[Shaka]

If you have the room go with either of the cabinet table saws. They make it much easier to work a large piece of wood. If you don't Laguna makes a nice machine.

[creekster]

If you have the room go with either of the cabinet table saws. They make it much easier to work a large piece of wood. If you don't Laguna makes a nice machine.

Agreed about the longer rails. If you are looking at those two, however, I cant figure out why I would/should prefer one to the other. ANy ideas?

[Shaka]

They are pretty much the same thing. One does come with a Shop Fox fence. Is your garage wired for 220v?

[creekster]

They are pretty much the same thing. One does come with a Shop Fox fence. Is your garage wired for 220v?

Yes, but I noticed just now that oine requires 20 amp and one requires 15 amps on the 220 cirdcuit, so I need to check that. What confuses me si the shop fox comes on the one that is less expensive.

[Shaka]

Yes, but I noticed just now that oine requires 20 amp and one requires 15 amps on the 220 cirdcuit, so I need to check that. What confuses me si the shop fox comes on the one that is less expensive.

Shop Fox makes some good stuff but I have no idea whether or not the fence is an upgrade. Honestly unless Grizzly can give you a compelling reason I buy the cheaper model.

[doctorcoug]

You better be doing some serious cabinetry for that type of product. If not and this is just pure hobby and price isn't very much an issue, get two and place them side by side. Place a dado blade in one and leave the regular 10 inch ripper in the other. Placing them together gives you much more space and that way you can safely "crosscut" plywood without having to purchase a panel saw. Or, you can leave your coving jig on one and rip with the other.

If that doesn't suit your taste, go buy something much cheaper that will make you happy. Seams like a lot to spend on a table saw. Do you have a joiner, plainer, and radial arm saw?

[creekster]

You better be doing some serious cabinetry for that type of product. If not and this is just pure hobby and price isn't very much an issue, get two and place them side by side. Place a dado blade in one and leave the regular 10 inch ripper in the other. Placing them together gives you much more space and that way you can safely "crosscut" plywood without having to purchase a panel saw. Or, you can leave your coving jig on one and rip with the other.

If that doesn't suit your taste, go buy something much cheaper that will make you happy. Seams like a lot to spend on a table saw. Do you have a joiner, plainer, and radial arm saw?

i have a joiner, no planer and I have a radial arm saw. Instead of the dado blade I think I may get the router table insert for the extension rail table and then cut the dado on the router so I dont need to change blades.

I am going to re do my kitchen and do a new set of built-ins for a home office.

[pellegrino]

what do you plan on cutting with this? If you planning on cutting mostly plywood then I would recommend getting a track saw system over a table saw, it's a lot cheaper and definitely safer for breaking down plywood sheets. I have one from http://eurekazone.com/. It's safe, reliable, easy to use, and as very accurate. It can't do everything that a table saw can, but for the price and what it excels at, I love it. I can square boards up to 1.5" very easily and they even sell systems for repetitive cuts and routers as well.

I paid around $400 for my set (two 54" tracks that can be joined for up to 108", a square arm for repetitive cuts, and a base for my circular saw) and it's worked very well for the built in shelves and bed frames I've made with it. Something to consider.

[Shaka]

what do you plan on cutting with this? If you planning on cutting mostly plywood then I would recommend getting a track saw system over a table saw, it's a lot cheaper and definitely safer for breaking down plywood sheets. I have one from http://eurekazone.com/. It's safe, reliable, easy to use, and as very accurate. It can't do everything that a table saw can, but for the price and what it excels at, I love it. I can square boards up to 1.5" very easily and they even sell systems for repetitive cuts and routers as well.

I paid around $400 for my set (two 54" tracks that can be joined for up to 108", a square arm for repetitive cuts, and a base for my circular saw) and it's worked very well for the built in shelves and bed frames I've made with it. Something to consider.

Those are great but a table saw is a good buy simply for the versatility. If he went and got a Porter Cable table saw and a track saw he'd still be money ahead.

[RobinFinderson]

If you were thinking about buying a table saw, which of the following three would you choose (and assume these are the three you have narrowed it down to) and why?
http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...ng-Knife/G0691

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...e-Saw/G1023RLX

http://www.lagunatools.com/tablesaws...-tablesaw-220v

TIA for any input. Also, if you have a suggestion for something in this price range, let me know.

In the two years that I worked in a professional model shop we ran thousands of service hours through a pair of Powermatics. I can't speak for Grizzly, having never used one, but the Powermatic is a beast, and it is in the same price range.

I hear you about using the router as a dado alternative, but if you are going to invest in the saw, you may as well invest in the dado set too. A router is a fine dado alternative for someone who doesn't own a cabinet saw and has just a few dado cuts to make, but it is slow, physically taxing, and more prone to error (especially in plywoods). It is hard for me to imagine why someone would buy a pro-grade table saw and not get a decent dado set.

Anyhow, this is awesome creek! I wish I had the space to set up a great shop with these tools. I'm jealous.

[pellegrino]

Those are great but a table saw is a good buy simply for the versatility. If he went and got a Porter Cable table saw and a track saw he'd still be money ahead.

I agree and I don't mean to start a debate. They're good for different things. Having worked with both I feel much more at ease using a track saw with sheet goods, and seeing as how most of the projects I work on these days involve sheets, it has become my preferred tool. Plus, my work space can't fit a table saw. It's just impractical.

[Surfah]

I only wish that I had the space, time, and dinero to entertain such a dilemma. What a great problem to have. I dream of having my own shop someday where I can make furniture like Norm Abram.

[creekster]

I appreciated all the advice. I ended up deciding to get a Grizzly, but I got the 1023 with a shorter extension table that includes a router table built in.

The saw is more saw than I need, but I have wanted a decent cabinet saw for a long time and dang it, I decided to get one. I looked pretty hard at that track system, but in the end I want to do some stuff that just seems better with a table saw. It might be my preconceived notions giving me a bias, but there you have it.

Robin, I would like to get a powermatic, but they are not the same price range for equivalent features. In fact, they are about 1500-2000 more for a real powermatic cabinet saw (as opposed to a contractors saw or a hybrid, where the trunnions are attached to the table instead of the cabinet). Also, I already have a dado set and the saw comes with a dado insert, but I think having the convenience of a router table without having to have a separate table, whether it be for dados or shaping, is something I want to try out.

As to the two grizzly saws, I chose the one made in Taiwan instead of the one made in China. Again, maybe a bias, but there you have it.

It arrives on Friday. Shall we start a pool to guess how long it is before I have fewer than ten fingers?

[Pelado]

I appreciated all the advice. I ended up deciding to get a Grizzly, but I got the 1023 with a shorter extension table that includes a router table built in.

The saw is more saw than I need, but I have wanted a decent cabinet saw for a long time and dang it, I decided to get one. I looked pretty hard at that track system, but in the end I want to do some stuff that just seems better with a table saw. It might be my preconceived notions giving me a bias, but there you have it.

Robin, I would like to get a powermatic, but they are not the same price range for equivalent features. In fact, they are about 1500-2000 more for a real powermatic cabinet saw (as opposed to a contractors saw or a hybrid, where the trunnions are attached to the table instead of the cabinet). Also, I already have a dado set and the saw comes with a dado insert, but I think having the convenience of a router table without having to have a separate table, whether it be for dados or shaping, is something I want to try out.

As to the two grizzly saws, I chose the one made in Taiwan instead of the one made in China. Again, maybe a bias, but there you have it.

It arrives on Friday. Shall we start a pool to guess how long it is before I have fewer than ten fingers?

Anyone know how many fingers creekside is sporting nowadays?